Chapter 32: City Guard Unit

  At the City Guard Unit's large training ground, Colonel Lalanta brought Nitaan and Kiita into the training area. Hundreds of field unit officers stood in a large circle around the field.

  These officers whispered amongst themselves, many with excited and amused expressions.

  "That's Colonel Lalanta! Why is she at the training ground?"

  "Who's that scrawny young man? Is he the one the guards are talking about, the one who asked to see Colonel and she actually said yes?"

  "Hmph, probably just some high-ranking noble trying to get a position in City Guard Unit. Colonel likes to test these guys in front of hundreds of people. If they're bad, she will send them away after."

  "That dog is huge! Its fur is so fluffy too! I want to pet it."

  Many field officers chatted merrily. Some looked at Colonel with respect, while others looked at Nitaan with disdain.

  Nitaan felt a little uncomfortable being the target of hundreds of eyes. Seeing hundreds of officers staring at him, he couldn't help but feel nervous.

  He disliked crowds. If given the choice, he'd prefer peace and quiet.

  In another area, a long row of small benches seated dozens of people. The majority were middle-aged men and women, with only a few appearing to be in their 40s. Some of the Devil beasts behind them sat in orderly rows. Although this group only numbered a few dozen, the energy emanating from them completely obscured the hundreds of field unit officers.

  Almost all of them were Learners. If his senses weren't mistaken, about ten of them were Engravers.

  The intense stares from those Engravers made Nitaan feel even more uneasy.

  Fighting an Emerald-fur bear would be better, Nitaan muttered.

  "If you want to be Core officers, you have to show your abilities to gain their acceptance. While Core officers are the elite who primarily handle operations, the field unit aren't inferior. Many of them are simply waiting to perform Engraving Ceremony. Almost all of them are 1- or 2-word Newborn, with a few 3-word Newborn." Colonel Lalanta said.

  "Most of the Core officers are in their 50s, and they're all 3-word Learners"

  "There are also quite a few in their 30s. Well, some of them are in a hurry to get the Engraving Ceremony done," Colonel Lalanta pointed to the seating area.

  "Their skills are on par with Emerald adventurers. That's why they are respected by these hot-headed fools." Colonel Lalanta swept his gaze across the hundreds of field unit officers.

  "And you? You're practically a kid, practically the youngest here. It's no wonder they look down on you. In war, Strength means Power, and Power means authority" Colonel Lalanta continued.

  Nitaan nodded in understanding. He understood these kinds of ideas well. Ultimately, Strength was the most important thing. Respect could come from various sources—Character, Gratitude, Strength, Bonds, and more—but in war and the harsh realities of an army, Strength was always the most crucial factor.

  Nitaan recalled a quote he'd read in a book. If he remembered correctly, it was during a war between the Half-beast race and the Rubius race—a tribe that refused to bow down even when inferior. The Half-beast general roared as he charged into the Rubius army:

  'If you want us to bow our heads, then you have to do it by force!’

  Colonel Lalanta stopped in the center of the training ground. Her booming voice echoed throughout the area. A powerful aura pressed down on everyone, making them feel the heavy pressure, as if carrying giant rocks on their shoulders.

  "Alright, you scum! We have a new special guest today!" Colonel Lalanta roared. A loud cheer erupted from hundreds of people around the field.

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  "You scum know what to do, right?!" Colonel Lalanta shouted.

  "Beat them into the ground and kick their butts home!" Responses came from all directions.

  Nitaan, listening from the side, got goosebumps. Kiita, annoyed by the noise, leaned his head against Nitaan to block the sound.

  "That's right! And what about those spoiled brats who only hope to get their positions through connections?" Colonel continued.

  "Beat their teeth out and send them back to their parents!" The field unit officers laughed merrily.

  "That's right! In my City Guard unit I only need one thing!" Colonel Lalanta shouted even louder.

  "Strength!!" Field unit officers shouted back, equally loud.

  "City Guard don't accept the weak! If you want to prove yourself, then crush others!" Colonel Lalanta's roar elicited cheers from the crowd.

  As she finished speaking, Colonel Lalanta turned to look at Nitaan and Kiita. With a slight flick of her finger, their bodies floated effortlessly into the field.

  "I have two options for you. First, a combat test. You will fight one of the Core officers. He will decide if you are capable enough to be the Core officer or be assigned to the field unit."

  Nitaan nodded.

  "The second option is a surveillance and detection test. People with this type of power are rare and very useful in operations. Therefore, if you pass this test, even if you are just a 1-word Learner, you will immediately be accepted as a Core officers."

  Those with detection abilities are not numerous, perhaps even fewer than those with healing abilities. Detection skills are crucial for operations, whether it's monitoring criminals, preventing ambushes, or preventing surprise attacks.

  "What kind of test do you want?" Colonel Lalanta asked.

  Nitaan pondered for a moment before replying, "Detection."

  At Nitaan's words, several field unit officers cheered loudly. They recognized the value of Scout. Even several of the Core officers looked over with interest. They certainly wouldn't refuse to have another scout in their unit.

  "Good. Your test isn't complicated. In a real operation, your duty will be to patrol the city with the Core officers. Therefore, what's essential is your ability to detect and identify criminals. For example, who's breaking the law within your detection range, or who's likely to commit crimes? You must be capable enough to identify these people before you can lead your team member to arrest them," Colonel Lalanta said.

  "The test is: Among the hundreds of people around this field, there's a group I've prepared. They're secretly stealing things or committing crimes. The diameter of this training field is 300 meters. If you find at least three of them within 10 minutes, you pass the test."

  As soon as Colonel Lalanta finished speaking, hundreds of people began to react in various ways, as if by prearrangement. Some walked around busily, some sat down in groups chatting with their comrades, some pulled out alcohol to drink, and some even prepared to fight. The situation was extremely chaotic.

  Nitaan turned to look at Kiita, communicating telepathically with him about what he needed to do.

  "Woof!"

  Easy peasy!

  Kiita lifted his head and sniffed for a moment before the surrounding scene flashed through Nitaan's mind.

  Kiita transmitted the images he currently surveyed with ‘Domain’ to Nitaan. Nitaan closed his eyes, concentrating on the images in his head. After a moment, he opened his eyes again.

  Nitaan raised one hand forward, pointing in that direction. Kiita lunged at a man sitting and drinking alcohol. Kiita pinned the man under his foot before grabbing him and throwing him beside Nitaan. Those around them panicked and recoiled.

  Nitaan raised his hand again, this time pointing towards two people walking among the crowd. Kiita received the signal and pounced, dragging the unfortunate individuals into a pile.

  The eyes of the Core officers lit up, many displaying impressed smiles.

  Colonel Lalanta smiled and nodded slightly.

  Nitaan continued his actions, turning to four more people with different postures. One was holding a bag of snacks, two were simply chatting, and the last was one of the five people who were dancing together for the audience.

  Kiita chased and captured all four of them one by one. Finally, they were piled together next to Nitaan.

  "Exactly seven people, no more, no less." Nitaan lowered his hand and smiled in response. He politely extended his hand to each of the seven individuals.

  The soldiers, who had been in various positions, stopped moving and surrounded the training ground again. The seven captured individuals immediately stood up and walked in a line towards the center of the field.

  "Excellent!" Colonel Lalanta smiled.

  A loud cheer erupted from the crowd surrounding the field, causing Kiita to duck his head again. Nitaan felt sorry for him and rummaged through his bag for earmuffs to cover Kiita's large ears.

  "Now, explain how you identified these seven people."

  Nitaan took a deep breath and pointed to each person one by one.

  "The first person, although he seems to be simply drinking, doesn't show any signs of being drunk. His eyes scanned the surroundings, and he appeared to be taking notes. He seems to be someone gathering intelligence, possibly one of our men in disguise. But they're worth suspecting."

  "The second and third people seemed to be walking around, but they were actually pickpocketing."

  The crowd cheered each time Nitaan accurately described each person.

  The Core officers chatted animatedly with excitement in their eyes.

  "Nop, this young man is amazing!" a middle-aged woman said.

  "His detection is not only accurate but also fast. He's good," another middle-aged man replied.

  "This kid should be in my Unit 8! Don't even think about trying to steal him!" Another old man stood up, laughing.

  "Hmph, do you think we're afraid of you, Sombut? This kid should be in my unit! We don't even have a single Scout here!" another middle-aged woman said.

  While the Core officers were arguing, Nitaan continued:

  "The fourth person, who was eating snacks, also had a small knife in that bag of snacks. He wasn't carrying a knife directly like a normal adventurer."

  "The fifth and sixth people, although sitting and talking normally, were discussing smuggling information to other countries."

  "The last one, while dancing, his veins turn a purplish-red, and his sweat has the smell of Hollow Skull plant, an illegal narcotic," Nitaan explained each person's information at length. Pinpoint what the problem is with each one.

  Colonel Lalanta nodded with a satisfied smile.

  "Passed!"

  A loud cheer erupted.